WHATCHMACALLIT'S

(re-post)

We used to play with them as kids. Kids still play with them. But I can't seem to find out what they were called back then. I find it hard to believe they didn't have some sort of name. If they truly didn't and we referred to them as, well - "whatchmacallit" - then that is really worthy of note!

I'm talking about the thing that is created when you take a square piece of paper, fold all four corners into the centre, turn it over, again fold all four corners into the centre, fold in half one way to get a crease, fold in half other way to get a bi-secting crease. Then unfold it into that shape that can be put on fingers and the item opens and closes. Draw a face on it and it 'talks'.

But more common is to put a number on the four wings or whatever you want to call them and when someone chooses a number the item is opened and closed that many times and then the inner part revealed and again a choice offered.

This time usually a colour. Then the flap is opened and whatever is under that colour is for the person to think about  ("you love someone with red nose hairs") or to do  ("hop on one foot while singing a song").

There are many variations. I made one awhile ago to accompany a gift for a young cousin (they fold flat for mailing) - don't know why I decided to do this, why the memory was twigged.

But since then I have come across them in an art exhibit (made from paper with holes in it - exquisite!),  learned they are one of the Klutz series,  and heard about a woman who used them at her wedding on the reception tables.

I still don't know what they are called. I could try to track down the artist of that exhibit - or look up Klutz. But there's fun in the time of wondering........

Posted on July 22, 2004 at 10:48 AM | Permalink

(I didn't have access to the Internet in 2004.  Today I googled and found they were called "fortune-teller"  or  "chatter-box".  And I made one!)

We used to play with them as kids. Kids still play with them. But I can't seem to find out what they were called back then. I find it hard to believe they didn't have some sort of name. If they truly didn't and we referred to them as, well - "whatchmacallit" - then that is really worthy of note!

I'm talking about the thing that is created when you take a square piece of paper, fold all four corners into the centre, turn it over, again fold all four corners into the centre, fold in half one way to get a crease, fold in half other way to get a bi-secting crease. Then unfold it into that shape that can be put on fingers and the item opens and closes. Draw a face on it and it 'talks'.

But more common is to put a number on the four wings or whatever you want to call them and when someone chooses a number the item is opened and closed that many times and then the inner part revealed and again a choice offered.

This time usually a colour. Then the flap is opened and whatever is under that colour is for the person to think about  ("you love someone with red nose hairs") or to do  ("hop on one foot while singing a song").

There are many variations. I made one awhile ago to accompany a gift for a young cousin (they fold flat for mailing) - don't know why I decided to do this, why the memory was twigged.

But since then I have come across them in an art exhibit (made from paper with holes in it - exquisite!),  learned they are one of the Klutz series,  and heard about a woman who used them at her wedding on the reception tables.

I still don't know what they are called. I could try to track down the artist of that exhibit - or look up Klutz. But there's fun in the time of wondering........